Sarah and Scott met in 2004 while studying abroad in London. But when their stint overseas was over, their relationship was not. "We maintained a long distance relationship through college," said Sarah, "and then I moved to New York and he moved to Washington, D.C."

Nearly six years later, inside the library room of Washington, D.C.'s Jefferson Hotel, the couple became engaged. "A couple of minutes after we sat down, a waiter came in with a bottle of champagne and a note that read 'will you marry me?'" Sarah recalled. She turned to Scott and found him on one knee, holding a cushion-cut diamond ring. "Fifteen minutes later, our mothers walked in—they had flown to D.C. without me knowing."

The couple picked Manhattan's University Club, a place they described as "classic with modern sensibilities," to play host to their 225 wedding guests. "It was grand, classic and big enough," said the bride.

The bride wore a delicately beaded Reem Acra dress purchased at Saks Fifth Avenue's New York Bridal Salon. " The dress was called The King and I. And it had me at the title," Sarah said. "The King and I was one of my favorite movies growing up."

While Sarah and Scott shunned any official theme or color scheme, they gave a nod to where they met by naming their tables after London landmarks—Tate Modern, Mayfair, Selfridges and Abbey Road were all included in the table names. "We had a friend who lived in London bring back miniature double-decker buses, telephone booths and cabs," which were scattered among the tables' name cards, Sarah said.

The band's music mix of Motown, 80s hits and top 40 tunes kept guests dancing all night long. "They danced like crazy," Sarah said, recalling that the invigorating classic "Shout" drew the largest crowd to the floor.

The bride counts the cake cutting and "the hora, especially seeing my father with this incredible grin on his face being lifted up on the chair," as some of the most memorable moments from their reception. And of all the advice the couple's day-of coordinator, Brian Bennett of the University Club, gave, the couple clung to these as their cherished favorites: "Don't sweat the small stuff, smile, have fun and enjoy."